This disclosure relates generally to the retention of ball bearings. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a staked retention for pinion ball bearings.
A steering system is required to control the direction of travel of a vehicle. Steering systems can include an articulated mechanical linkage or other mechanical connection between a hand wheel and steerable road wheels. The movement of the hand wheel causes a corresponding movement of the steerable road wheels, which controls the vehicle's direction of travel.
One example of such a steering system is a rack and pinion steering system. In such rack and pinion steering systems, a pinion gear is operatively connected to the hand wheel such that rotation of the hand wheel causes the pinion to rotate. The pinion gear is meshingly engaged with a rack gear, which is operatively connected to steerable road wheels by an articulated mechanical linkage. In this manner, the rotation of the hand wheel is translated into a linear movement of the rack, which steers the road wheels. The pinion gear can be rotatably supported with respect to the rack gear by one or more bearings.
There is a continuing desire for retention of the bearing on the pinion in a manner that requires less parts, less time, and mitigates bearing lash than has been possible with prior retention systems.